Perhaps it was because the Manchu Banners and Hangu Banners had been rotated, or because Yu Geum-pil had been recalled. Still, Dae In-seon had never expected a rebellion within Silla itself. Everything had gone so smoothly that he had assumed only pro-Goryeo forces remained in Silla.
Fortunately, the remaining Hangu Banners had escorted the queen and her ministers out of Seorabeol, so even if the royal family were entirely wiped out, it would still be possible to reinstall Queen Jinseong as a puppet ruler.
"...We tried to suppress the rebellion, but it was so sudden that we could not immediately repel the enemy. As a result, the Hangu Banners abandoned Seorabeol, saving the queen, Choi Chiwon, and the pro-Goryeo ministers."
"Good judgment. Bring that commander here later. I must personally commend him."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Dae In-seon praised the Hangu Banner commander, yet could not fully hide a tightening at the corner of his mouth.
'Still, this means Silla is effectively cut off. A Baekje-Wa allied force, plus the rebellion… even a thousand-year kingdom is fragile. But since it's an internal rebellion and not Japan's occupation, the fault is not mine. In fact, the queen survived with our help, which will make annexing Silla easier.'
Though unexpected, Dae In-seon realized the situation could be turned to his advantage.
Trying to ignore the bitter taste, he ordered the army to halt and set up camp. There was no need to rush with Seorabeol now in rebel hands.
His army would receive Queen Jinseong and the pro-Goryeo ministers while preparing to merge with the remaining Hangu Banner forces.
"You have arrived, Your Majesty. Once again fleeing after the Yesong River."
"My apologies, Your Majesty. My lack of virtue has brought the kingdom to peril."
Before reaching Gongsan, Queen Jinseong appeared with the Hangu Banners, presenting herself as a loyal subject of Goryeo's Tae-wang. Her hair was loose from the hurried flight, giving her a pitiable appearance. Once a youthful woman who played with Hwarang, she now seemed utterly desolate.
'She should have stopped playing with the Hwarang and secured Seorabeol sooner. At this rate, the Baekje-Wa allied forces will occupy the city.'
Though undeniably cunning, seeing her now evoked pity. Choi Chiwon, misaligned with the times, would become the last loyal minister of a doomed Silla.
"I hear the pro-Baekje faction was behind this?"
"Yes. All Silla royals except myself were executed."
"Baekje even called in Wa? That Ken-hwon… he truly has pirate blood."
'No doubt they claimed some kind of justification for allying with Wa, like Tang did with Silla. Baekje under the Buyeo clan had grounds, but Ken-hwon is simply greedy. Why would Wa support him, though?'
Dae In-seon could not deduce why Japan had mobilized. They were certainly pursuing power, but what exactly they sought remained unclear. Territory perhaps? He could not confirm that Ken-hwon had offered land in negotiation.
If Jeon-Baekje truly promised territory, selling Han lands would be intolerable; Ken-hwon could not be left unchecked.
The main concern was the enemy's strength. Should he delay and wait for reinforcements, or strike immediately to break their momentum?
As he deliberated, Queen Jinseong knelt before him.
"Your Majesty, please save Silla!"
"Rise. Though Silla is a vassal of Goryeo, a sovereign should not kneel so easily."
Even though she was a scheming queen, her tearful plea and composed beauty stirred sympathy. Watching her, Dae In-seon could hardly see the once formidable queen as anything but a frail woman.
"…Come to think of it, isn't this near Palgong Mountain?"
He recalled the Battle of Gongsan: a humiliating defeat for Wang Geon at the hands of Ken-hwon, with loyal generals and soldiers lost. Although Shin Sung-gyeom fell in that battle, in the current timeline he belonged to Goryeo's artillery forces.
Dae In-seon tried to reconstruct the situation. Though Silla had fallen to rebels, Baekje was clearly behind it. Considering previous skirmishes, Baekje troops might even be stationed at Gongsan.
'Even in history, after subduing Silla, they used Gongsan to defeat Wang Geon. Ken-hwon, now with Wa forces, surely wouldn't leave it unoccupied.'
"Your Majesty! Please save Silla!"
"…Very well. Now rise."
Dae In-seon helped Queen Jinseong to her feet, gently patting her back. Her flushed cheeks revealed her embarrassment, yet the Banners realized just how close Silla was to collapse.
The pro-Goryeo ministers, including Choi Chiwon, had no choice but to kneel with her, requesting salvation.
The problem was Silla's heavy losses. Many loyal Silla soldiers had died fighting rebels, while others were killed or surrendered to Baekje's forces. The Silla army was largely shattered.
'First, I must assess our forces.'
If Baekje-Wa numbers were too high, he could not draw troops from Gaegyeong or the border. He had to rely on nearby noble forces for the initial engagement. And if numbers were comparable, attacking before the enemy consolidated would provide a slight advantage.
"General Yu, report our current strength."
"Combined with the Manchu Banners and noble militias, we have forty-five thousand."
Dae In-seon roughly compared his army with the enemy forces in Seorabeol. Goryeo could achieve qualitative superiority, though bringing the Gaegyeong militias introduced a variable. Baekje had not committed its full army either, but he considered the multinational allied force in Seorabeol roughly equal to his own.
"Choi Chiwon, how many rebels remain in Seorabeol?"
"Likely fewer than ten thousand."
'Ten thousand… not negligible, but the Japanese forces of this era are inferior. Even if they've come all this way, they'll be exhausted. We must strike before they recover.'
Dae In-seon ordered:
"First, confirm whether Baekje troops occupy Gongsan, then advance to Seorabeol."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The army sent scouts to Gongsan multiple times. Fortunately, there was no trace of Baekje forces, allowing them to pass safely.
Meanwhile, Baekje forces had captured Geumseong and local districts, moving toward Seorabeol. The Silla nobility at Geumseong had already decided to hand over Silla to Baekje, ignoring the city's vulnerability.
As a result, Baekje troops approached Geumseong's gates.
"Nung-hwan, when will the Wa troops arrive?"
"They've already crossed and are landing. With a thousand ships, it will take some time to prepare."
Ken-hwon asked Nung-hwan, who read aloud a letter sent by the Japanese general.
Indeed, the Japanese landed from over a thousand ships, preparing to ascend to Geumseong. Silla's navy was nonexistent; Silla pirates had either been defeated by Baekje or surrendered to Goryeo. The Japanese landed unopposed.
Ken-hwon stroked his beard thoughtfully. Though he had summoned the Japanese, he did not fully trust them. Knowing that Goryeo had mobilized reserve forces, he considered them a supplement. He planned to push Goryeo back to at least the Daedong River, then negotiate with Dae In-seon while seeking diplomacy with the Central Plains to expel Japan.
"Numbers are somewhat filled, then."
"They are reasonably equipped. The entire force is armed."
"Then they are a credible threat. The Goryeo king's expression will be priceless, won't it?"
"Indeed."
Though well-armed, Japanese troops were far inferior to Goryeo's and even weaker than Baekje's. Ken-hwon considered them equivalent to Goryeo's local militias.
Shifting focus from the Japanese, Ken-hwon surveyed his Baekje forces. They smiled broadly, thinking of their imminent junction with Japanese allies and the open gates of Geumseong.
Ken-hwon felt satisfied with recent progress, though he was uneasy that Queen Jinseong had escaped with Goryeo. With the queen alive, neutral Silla nobles might turn away from Baekje.
Now, the coming clash between Goryeo and the Baekje-Japanese coalition was entirely unpredictable.